Hoist



Nov, 5, 1946.

F ENGLISH ElAL HOIST Filed June 8, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS fenu/z EA/G'L/J'l/ MARK A. EusL 1.0-;

Nov. 5, 1946. F. ENGLISH EIAL HOIST Filed June 8, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVHVZ'ORS FRANK [A/GZ/JH BY Alma .4. Alva/5 AFTEMEY5 Nov. 5, 1946. F. ENGLISH EI'AL 2,410,777

HOIST Filed June 8, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INYENTORS FRANK ENGL IJH MARK A ENGL/J'H Patented Nov. 1946 HOIST Frank English, Pasadena,

San Gabriel, Calif.;

Elane and Mark A. English,

English administratrix of said Frank English, deceased Application June 8, 1945, Serial No. 598,330

Claims.

This invention is concerned with hoisting mechanisms and particularly with a hoisting mechanism adapted to be mounted on a truck. In its preferred embodiment, the invention contemplates a hoist mounted on a truck, and adapted to raise ice from the truck to the top of a refrigerator car.

In the icing of refrigerator cars of conventional design, it is necessary to hoist the ice to the top of the car and on remote sidings and the like, the ice is usually delivered by truck. It has been proposed heretofore to mount a suitable hoisting means on the truck itself, but since the ice must be hoisted approximately twenty feet from the truck body, conventional types of hoisting means are cumbersome and inadequate. As a result of our investi ations, we have developed a hoisting mechanism which is collapsible along the side of the truck body, but which carries a mast which can be raised into operating position at the unloading site, i. e. at the refrigerator car, in a very simple manner. In its collapsed form, the hoist occupies very little space and can be left permanentlv on the truck.

In essence, our invention contemplates the combination in a hoist mechanism which comprises a track (preferably horizontal), a rider slidably mounted in the track, a mast, a hinge connecting an end portion of the mast to the rider, and a pivot member mounted in fixed relation to the track in the plane defined by the mast in movement around the hinge, the axis of the pivot extending in the same general direction as that of the hinge, and the mast being slidably mounted in the pivot member.

In its preferred form, the hoisting mechanism of our invention is provided with means for locking the rider to the track when the mast is raised, the locking means preferably being a snap catch.

The hoisting mechanism preferably is provided with a hoisting means such as a winch with a cable connected to the hoisting means and passing along the track and also along the mast. If the mast is tubular, which is the preferred form, the cable may pass upwardly through the mast itself. These and other features of our invention will be understood more thoroughly in the light of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a preferred form of the hoist of our invention mounted on the side of a motor truck;

Fig. 2 is a plan of the hoist of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cable diagram showing the manner 2 in which the cable of the hoist of Figs. 1 and 2 is connected to the hoisting means and the rest of the apparatus;

Fig. 4 is a detailed elevation of the crossarm at the top of the mast of the apparatus of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the crossarm of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged elevational View of the slider and track of Figs. 1 and 2, showing the manner in which the mast is attached to the slider;

Fig. 7 is an end view of the mast, slider and track of the apparatus of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation showing the pivot member and its relation to the mast and the track of the apparatus of Figs. 1 and 2; and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary end view of the pivot member and mast.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be observed that a horizontal track H3 is mounted on the outside of a truck body I l and extends longitudinally from the cab of the truck to the rear end. A slider l 2 is mounted in the track. A mast I3 is hinged to the slider. Preferably the mast I3 is tubular, for example a piece of 3" pipe. A snap catch I4 is mounted on the lower end of the mast and is adapted to engage a slot 32 in the track on the truck when the mast is raised to a vertical position. A pivot member l5 ismounted on the rear end of the truck near the upper edge of the truck body. This pivot member is tubular and the mast slides through it. The axis of the pivot is horizontal and substantially parallel to the axis of the hinge which connects the lower end of the mast to the rider on the track. A crossarm it is connected to the upper end of the mast by a universal joint member H which permits the crossarm to rotate aroimd the top of the mast and also permits angular movement between the crossarm and the mast.

An ice-holding means, for example an ice tongs I 8, is fastened to the end of a cable l9 which passes over a pulley 20 on one end of the crossarm, thence over a centrally mounted pulley 2! at the center of the crossarm and thence passes inside the mast downwardly to the rider I2. From that point the cable passes along the track to a pulley 2| and thence over a second pulley 22 to a winch 23 (see Fig. 3).

Assuming that the truck is loaded with ice and that the mast is in its lowered position as shown in Fig. 1, the operation is as follows:

The truck is driven to the point at which the 3 ice is to be hoisted, for example along side a refrigerator car. The winch is started so that the cable is reeled up. The ice hook acts as a stop and jams against the pulley at the end of the crossarm so that the cable tightens and pulls the slider carrying the lower end of the mast to the right (as seen in Fig. 1). This raises the mast which slides in the pivot and the mast assumes a substantially vertical position at which point the snap catch l4 drops into a slot in the track directly below the pivot member and thus holds the mast in a vertical position. If the winch is then reversed to pay out the cable, the ice hook may be dropped to the truck or to the ground where a load is affixed. When the cable is wound in thereafter, the load, say a cake of ice held in the ice tongs, is raised to an appropriate position for loading onto the top of the refrigerator car as shown in the dotted view of Fig. 1.

The structure of the crossarm and its associated pulleys and universal joint connecting it to the mast are best seen in Figs. 4 and 5. Referring to these figures, it will be observed that the universal joint I! rotates around the axis of the mast and also permits the crossarm to rock with respect thereto by virtue of a hinge 24. The crossarm is strengthened by means of a truss rod which is bent over the top of a support 26 fastened approximately at the center of the crossarm and carrying the pulley 2 I.

Referring now to Figs. 6 and '7, it will be observed that the track It comprises two channel irons IDA, HIB placed horizontal and parallel to each other, face to face, so that the flanges of the channel irons hold in place the rider l2, which is a hollow rectangle formed of smaller channel iron and carrying a hinge 21 that is welded to the under side of the mast end. The upper side of the mast end carries the snap catch M which is held in position in a slot in the track when the mast is vertical, by means of a spring 28. The cable as shown, passes through the mast and is bent backward to the right over the hinge 21 in the rider and passes along the track to the pulley 2|A at the end of the track, and thence through the pulley 22 to the Winch.

The mounting of the mast in the pivot member I5 is best seen in Figs. 8 and 9. The pivot member is tubular and of such dimensions that the mast slides throughit easily. It is provided with a pivot or hinge 30, the axis of which is horizontal and parallel to the axis of the hinge 21 on the rider. The hinge is supported by a steel framework 3| that is fastened to the track. If desired, the pivot may be slidably mounted in the framework to allow limited horizontal movement. In this way, the mast may be kept vertical even when, due to sloping ground, the truck body is not completely horizontal. It will be observed that the pivot is directly above the slot 32, into which the spring catch l4 drops when the mast is raised.

When the mast is to be lowered, the winch is released to permit the cable to unwind, the spring catch M is raised and the lower end of the mast is kicked to the left by a lever arrangement 33 provided with a kicker 34 and fastened to the framework 3! at its right side by means of a bearing 35. As soon as the mast is kicked from its vertical position, it will slide into its lower. position by itself.

A chain 40 is fastened to the frame supporting the pivot member and to the end of the crossarm opposite the pulley 20, in order to hold the crossarm in a substantially horizontal position when the mast is raised.

The winch preferably is operated by a conventional power take-off (not shown) from the I transmission of the truck.

The mast may be of any desired length, but conveniently is in the neighborhood of twenty feet long so as to allow ample height for reaching over the top of a refrigerator car.

As noted, the ice tongs itself, acts as a stop at the end of the cable when the mast is bein raised by the winch. However, if desired, a special stop member on the cable may be provided.

We claim:

1. In a hoisting mechanism, the combination which comprises a track, a rider slidably mounted in the track, a mast, a hinge connecting an end' portion of the mast to the rider, a pivot member mounted in fixed relation to the track in the plane defined by the mast in movement around the hinge, the axis of the pivot extending in the same general direction as that of the hinge, and the mast being slidably mounted in the pivot member, a hoisting means and a cable connected to the hoisting means and passing along the track from the end portion thereof located nearest the pivot member to the hinge and thence along the mast to the unhinged end thereof.

2. In a hoisting mechanism the combination which comprises a track, a rider slidably mounted in the track, a mast, a hinge connecting an end portion of the mast to the rider, a pivot member mounted in fixed relation to the track in the neighborhood of an end thereof in, the plane defined by the mast in movement around the hinge, the axis of the pivot extending in the same general direction as that of the hinge, and the mast being slidably mounted. in the pivot memher, a hoisting means, a cable connected to the hoisting means and passing along the track and the mast, and means for preventing movement of the cable with respect to the mast.

3. In a hoisting mechanism; the combination which comprises a track, a rider slidably mount-' ed in the track, a mast, a hinge connecting an end portion of the mast to the rider, and a pivot member mounted in fixed relation to the track in the plane defined by the mast in movement around the hinge, the axis of the pivot extending in the same general direction as that of the hinge, and the mast being slidably mounted in the pivot member, guiding means along the mast,; a cable mounted in the guiding means and ex,-

tending from its free end to the hinge and thence 7 along the track to a point in the neighborhood of the pivot member, a load'holding means on the mast-end of the cable, and a pulling means: attached to the track end ofthe cable. t

4. Apparatus according tov claim 3 ,in'which the mast is tubular and the cable is guided by passing therethrough.

5. In a hoisting mechanism; the; combination.

which comprises a track,'a' rider slidably mount-J ed in the track, a mast, a hinge connecting an end portion of the "mast t0 the rider,.a crossarm attached to theother end portion of the mast, a pivot member mounted in fixed relation to the track in the plane defined by the mast in movement around the hinge, the axis of the pivot extending inthesame general direction as that of the hinge, and the mast-being slid-1 ably mounted in the pivot member, a cable passing along the crossarm and thence along the mast to the hinge and thence along the track to a point in the neighborhood of the pivot memher, and guiding means holding the cable in the position described but permitting longitudinal movement of the cable.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 in which a stop is fixed to the cable adjacent the crossarm and is adapted to engage the crossarm and prevent movement of the cable with respect to the crossarm when the cable is pulled along the mast to a given position from the end position of the cable adjacent the track.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5 provided with a swivel on which the crossarm is mounted to swing about the axis of the mast.

8. Apparatus according to claim 5 provided with a universal joint mechanism on the mast in which the crossarm is mounted to swing about the axis of the mast and also in a plane passing through the axis of the mast.

9. In a hoisting mechanism, the combination which comprises a track, a rider slidably mounted in the track, a mast, a hinge connecting an end portion of the mast to the rider, a pivot member mounted in fixed relation to the track in the plane defined by the mast in movement around the hinge, the axis of the pivot extending in the same general direction as that of the hinge, and the mast being slidably mounted in the pivot member, a cable passing along the mast to the hinge and thence along the track to a point in the neighborhood of the pivot, guiding means holding the cable in the described position but permitting its longitudinal movement, and a stop on the cable adapted to prevent relative movement between the mast and the cable when the cable is pulled along the mast toward the hinge to a predetermined position.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 in which means is provided for locking the rider with respect to the track at said point in the neighborhood of the pivot member.

FRANK ENGLISH. MARK A. ENGLISH. 

